Los Angeles Unified School District, CA. Research and Evaluation Branch.

This report provides information on the number and percentage of students retained in grade during the 1982-83 school term in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Data were analyzed from reports filed by all principals and from the LAUSD Racial and Ethnic Survey, Fall 1982. Children's centers, adult schools, occupational centers, and development centers for the handicapped were not included. Results are reported by sex, grade, and ethnicity. The following major findings are reported: (1) the number of students retained in June 1983 (27,168 or 4.9 percent of all enrolled) decreased slightly from June 1982 (5.0 percent); (2) retention rates varied across administrative sectors; (3) more males (59 percent) than females (41 percent) were retained in grade; (4) for each ethnic group, except American Indians/Alaskan Natives, more males were retained than females; (5) retention rates for secondary students were higher than for elementary students; (6) more students were retained in grade 1 than in any other elementary grades; (7) more students were retained in grade 10 than in any other secondary grades; and (8) Black and Hispanic students were retained at proportionately higher rates than students in other ethnic groups. Statistical data are included on 13 tables. (FMW)